Remediation of a device using an embedded server
Methods, systems and devices for remediation of a malfunctioning IHS (Information Handling Systems) using a peer IHS. Upon detecting a failure condition that prevents booting a primary operating system, the malfunctioning IHS initiates a remediation service as a BIOS/UEFI runtime process. The remediation service specifies remediation resources via an embedded web server. The web server provides a web interface that provides a peer IHS with resource links that provide access to remediation resources stored on the malfunctioning IHS. The web interface may also provide links that trigger the transfer of diagnostic information from the malfunctioning IHS to the peer IHS, which can be further relayed to a remote diagnostic service that may provide the peer IHS with updated remediation resources. The remediation resource may utilize pre-boot diagnostic processes to identify resources that are targeted to specific failures detected on the malfunctioning IHS.
1. A method for remediation of a malfunctioning IHS (Information Handling System), the method comprising:
detecting an error condition in the malfunctioning IHS, wherein the error condition prevents the malfunctioning IHS from booting a primary operating system;
establishing a peer-to-peer wireless connection with a peer IHS in response to the detection of the error condition;
starting a remediation service, wherein the remediation service is started as a runtime service of the malfunctioning IHS; and
providing a web interface via the remediation service, wherein the web interface specifies remediation resources for repairing the error condition, and wherein at least one of:
(a) the web interface provides links to one or more remediation resources;
(b) the web interface comprises a link that triggers the transmission of diagnostic information to the peer IHS by the malfunctioning IHS;
(c) the web interface comprises a link that triggers the download of a remediation resource from a remote repository to the peer IHS;
(d) the web interface comprises a link that triggers the malfunctioning IHS to boot a service operating system;
(e) the remediation service comprises a BIOS (Basic I/O System)/UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) runtime service, wherein the remediation service is started via instructions stored in a non-volatile memory of the BIOS/UEFI of the malfunctioning IHS; or
(f) the remediation resources are selected by the remediation service based on the detected error condition.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic information is transmitted by the remediation service to the peer IHS via the peer-to-peer wireless connection.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first remediation resource of the one or more remediation resources is stored on the malfunctioning IHS.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
booting the service operating system by the malfunctioning IHS, wherein the booted service operating system provides a remediation interface on the peer IHS.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the remediation interface displays the web interface provided by the remediation service of the malfunctioning IHS.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
initiating a pre-boot diagnostic process; and
selecting the remediation resources provided by the web interface based on error condition information provided by the pre-boot diagnostic process.
7. A method for remediation of a malfunctioning IHS (Information Handling System) by a peer IHS, the method comprising:
monitoring for a peer-to-peer wireless signal broadcast indicating a failure condition in the malfunctioning IHS, wherein the error condition prevents the malfunctioning IHS from booting a primary operating system;
responding to the wireless broadcast signal issued by the malfunctioning IHS;
establishing a peer-to-peer wireless connection with a remediation service running on the malfunctioning IHS; and
retrieving remediation information from the remediation service via the peer-to-peer wireless connection, wherein the remediation information provided by the remediation service is a remediation webpage that provides links to one or more remediation resources.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
providing a remediation interface on the peer IHS, wherein the remediation interface displays the remediation webpage on the peer IHS.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the selection of one or more of the links triggers the transmission of diagnostic information from the malfunctioning IHS to the peer IHS via the peer-to-peer wireless connection.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
transmitting the diagnostic information to a remote diagnostic service.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the selection of one or more of the links triggers the download of a remediation resource from a remote repository to the peer IHS.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the selection of one or more of the links triggers the malfunctioning IHS to boot a service operating system.
13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
providing a remediation interface on the peer IHS, wherein the remediation interface displays the remediation webpage on remote administrative interface configured to provide access to the peer IHS.
14. A method, comprising:
detecting an error condition in the malfunctioning IHS (Information Handling System), wherein the error condition prevents the malfunctioning IHS from booting a primary operating system;
establishing a peer-to-peer wireless connection with a peer IHS in response to the detection of the error condition;
starting a remediation service, wherein the remediation service is started as a runtime service of the malfunctioning IHS;
providing a web interface via the remediation service, wherein the web interface specifies remediation resources for repairing the error condition and comprises a link that triggers the malfunctioning IHS to boot a service operating system; and
booting the service operating system by the malfunctioning IHS, wherein the booted service operating system provides a remediation interface on the peer IHS.